Custom House Plans: Architects, Structural Engineers and Design

Bring the outdoors in and let the trees be the art....

When we started this process we did what every prospective home builder does and went to Pinterest and started looking at every possible house plan we could find. We spent hours scouring the internet for the perfect set of plans. We found a set that we liked and fit most of our wants/needs but needed a few changes. And by changes I mean.... enlarge the pantry, add a playroom, add an office, re-arrange the kitchen layout, and add a third bay to the garage...no big deal right? The more we started to get serious about the process the more we started to consider hiring an architect to draw a set of plans that not only met our need list but our want list.

We attended the fall festival of homes in the fall of 2019 and found a home that had the exterior look and many of the interior features we wanted in our home. We did an internet search and found the architect that had drawn the home. We reached out to this particular architect and were lucky enough to find that he had some time and desire to help us with our project. In the Fall of 2020 we began the process of designing our home. Our wish list items included: PNW style architecture, open floor plan but with definition of the spaces, large gathering spaces, room for a baby grand piano, main floor master and laundry, 4 bedrooms, 3 car side entry garage, handicap accessible, two or three neat architectural features, approximately 3000 sq feet and lots of natural light. Our goal was to bring the outdoors in and let the trees be the art.

We were pleasantly surprised at how closely our architect met our want/need list on the first draft. He pretty well nailed it. I'm sure a lot of this was skill on his part but it also helped that we had reviewed his portfolio extensively and the style of home he was known for was exactly what we wanted. When we hired him we had planned to build a shop with an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) to live in while we built the house. The architect designed the plans for the shop first with the intention of finishing up the house plans once the shop plans were finalized. In the spring of 2021 we started getting back material prices/bids for the shop. During COVID the prices of materials had sky-rocketed. Lumber prices were through the roof. I started second guessing the whole project. I knew with how much it was going to cost to build the shop that it was unlikely we would be starting on the house anytime in the near future. Spending the next 20 years (I am a catastrophizer) in a 500 sq ft ADU with 3 boys, 2 dogs and a husband is not exactly how I dreamed my future to be. I tried to convince David to size down the shop plans (do smaller windows, skimp on the quality of materials, eliminate doors, etc) to try and save some money. David is a purist and wasn't going to have it. In his words we "build the plans the way the architect designed them, or we find another set of plans". We were at a complete stale mate. Looking back I see that we both had fair and valid points. I insisted the cost was too much and he was insisting we build the plans the way they were or not at all. After a couple of tense conversations and ultimately a night of sleep we decided that maybe it was time to go back to the drawing board. It was David that mentioned building the house first. He said we should consider hiring another company to build it for us to speed up the time frame. Our budget would have to increase, but we wouldn't necessarily need to worry about building the shop right away. The more I thought on the idea the more I felt it could be the answer. Build the house first...if we don't have money right away to build the shop it's no big deal. We looked into doing a Lexar/Adair home. We even met with them and picked out a plan that we felt we could alter and make work. The big problem we had with these services was the limits on how custom we could make it and quality vs. cost. With David being a general contractor and after our last 2 remodels we are definitely snobs when it comes to homes and finish work. We knew we wanted full trim on all windows and doors, hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, a custom fireplace, no carpet on the stairs...etc. While some upgrades are offered they were expensive and really didn't check the boxes we were looking for. I knew David would start remodeling the place immediately after moving in. Ultimately, we decided to finish the plans we had started and move forward with our custom home.

Despite our indecision our architect agreed to work with us and put a rush on the house plans. Our plans were completed in August of 2021 and submitted to the structural engineer. The structural engineer had quite a project with the open balconies, bridges with no support posts, and the large number of oversized windows. It took 3 months but they finished up with the plans in November of 2021.

A few things I learned from the process. Be sure to get clear timelines (written) from your architect and structural engineer. They get busy and our timelines were not always their timelines. Things like open balconies, bridges with no support posts, large walls of windows, double sided fireplace and a low pitched roof cost much more money. Be prepared to spend more for these types of architectural features. Be sure to work with a good builder who is familiar with custom homes. These house plans are custom and with that complicated. A lot of the framers we spoke with didn't want to touch our project due to the number of hold-downs and the complicated engineering that the project entailed. This ended up being a large factor in our decision to frame it ourselves. Finally find an architect whose style matches your style. If you like their work, you are more likely to love the outcome.

Some fun features of the house.

1. We have a two-story entry with an open balcony.

2. The staircase is floating, no support posts are underneath. Originally, they were designed as an open riser staircase, but we decided to add risers for a more traditional/modern vibe.

3. In addition to the open balcony in the entry, there is an open balcony on the north side of the great room as well as an open balcony into the bonus room.

4. We did a double-sided fireplace in the great room connecting to the hearth room. The fireplace is massive. 24 feet high on the great room side, 12 feet long and 2.5 feet wide.

5. We have two sets of french doors, one set off the dining room and one set off the hearth room.

6. All doors (interior and exterior) are 8 foot.

7. There are two covered patios, one on the south side of the house and one on the north side of the house. Regardless of weather, season, or time of day we should always have a comfortable outdoor space.

9. Finally, we have a build in walk-through pantry... I'm excited about this one. Practically speaking I'm hoping the boys don't bust the cabinet after the first year.

We are really excited to see this home come together. Things always look a little different in person. It will be interesting to watch these 2 dimensional plans become a 3 dimensional home.